You Oughta Know
by Lauren Eliza
Summary: Lucas said I do. So did Lindsey. Where does that leave Peyton? Bitter, angry, and alone. At least for a little while. Peyton-centric one-shot.


**Author's Note: I know this has been done over and over again, but I've never read one set to this song, so here's my attempt. Basically a long one-shot about Peyton after Lucas and Lindsey got married. Everything with LLP happened up until 5.12 except that Lindsey said "I do". Please read and review!**

You Oughta Know

_I want you to know, that I'm happy for you  
I wish nothing but the best for you both_

She smiled and nodded as the conversation flowed around her during the reception. She excused herself politely from a group of Lindsey's friends from New York and went to grab another glass of punch. Skills was standing near the buffet table, and as Peyton approached, he slipped a small flask into her hand.

"Thanks," she whispered. "Could you tell how badly I needed that from across the room?"

"Only because I know you, skinny girl," he said as he handed over a glass of punch for her to spike.

"They're so terrible," she confided. "Lindsey's friends. They all know who I am, because she made them all read the book, and they're talking to me like they understand that it must be hard one minute and then making snide remarks about how happy Lindsey is with Lucas the next."

"Well, Lindsey might be happy," Skills said, "but it's you we care about. How are you holding up, really?"

"I'm just smiling and trying to keep my mouth shut," Peyton said.

"Oh no, they're coming over here," Skills said nervously. "Get that smile ready, Sawyer."

"Hi!" Lindsey said. "I hope you're enjoying yourselves."

"Hey," Peyton said weakly. "It's a lovely room. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Peyton," Lindsey said, offering her a dazzling smile which Peyton couldn't bring herself to return.

"Thanks for being here, Peyton," Lucas said.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Peyton muttered. "Congratulations again. I'm so happy for you both. But you've got lots of people to talk to."

"Yeah, let's go say hi to Julie and Andrea, babe," Lindsey said as she dragged Lucas away.

Skills looked at Peyton, and she silently handed him her glass for another refill. This was officially hell.

_An older version of me  
Is she perverted like me?  
Would she go down on you in a theatre?_

Peyton was staggering slightly by the time Brooke helped her into the car after the reception ended. She and Skills had consumed several more glasses of the spiked punch, and it had certainly made the rest of the evening more bearable.

"Thanks for staying sober for me, Brooke," Peyton said as her friend helped her into the house.

"I knew someone would have to," Brooke replied. "You're a bit of a mess, Peyton."

"I know," Peyton admitted. "But I don't know how else to deal. God, he married her. I never thought it would happen."

"None of us really did," Brooke said.

"And it's their wedding night," Peyton said with distaste. "That doesn't even bear thinking about."

"Then why are we talking about it?" Brooke grumbled.

"Because it's their wedding night!" Peyton exclaimed. "I hope she's too tired out from carrying that exquisitely beaded dress around all day for anything. I hope she disappoints him."

"Peyton! That's horrible," Brooke said, though she was laughing slightly.

"Or maybe he'll disappoint her. He was hitting the champagne pretty hard, and I for one know that that is never good for him."

"Yeah, he drank almost as much as you did, which is the only reason you're talking about this to me," Brooke said. "Stop torturing yourself over it and get some sleep, okay? You're going to be hung over like hell in the morning."

"I hope he wakes up with a pounding headache and it's made worse when he sees the man-face beside him on the pillow," Peyton said before falling into bed.

"P. Sawyer, you know I love you, but stop it. You're just making yourself feel worse," Brooke scolded.

"You're probably right," Peyton said with her face turned away. "But right now, I really don't care."

_And would she have your baby?  
I'm sure she'd make a really excellent mother_

The next morning Peyton got up feeling the hangover that Brooke had promised her. With a groan, she dressed in comfortable clothes and let herself out of the house, hoping for a walk to clear her head. She soon found herself in front of Nathan and Haley's house. She knocked quietly in case they were still asleep, but the door was opened by Nathan, who looked ready to go for a workout.

"Hey, Sawyer," he smirked. "Here for my hangover cure?"

"Actually, it's a booty call," she joked. "Yes, I'm here for the cure, please get the taunting over with now."

"Any other day, I would tease you for hours," he said, wrapping her in a quick hug, "But this morning, I think you deserve my specialty free of mocking."

"Thanks," she said as he handed over a bottle of Gatorade and a few pain killers.

"Holding up as expected, then?" he asked.

"Just as expected," she replied.

"They're good for each other, though, Peyton," he said.

"I know, and that's the worst part," Peyton said sadly. "She's going to be a great wife and a great mother and everything that I wanted to be."

"I don't think they're talking kids yet," Nathan reassured her.

"It doesn't matter," she said despondently. "They're married, Nate, and that's what comes next. She's going to carry his children. And I don't know what I'm going to do."

"You'll just come see me for this more often, and be glad you're not the one pregnant, otherwise you couldn't be drinking," he joked. "But seriously, you'll get through this how you always do. We're all here for you, Peyton."

"Thanks," she said as she drained the last of her Gatorade. "I'm going to need all the help I can get."

_Cause the love that you gave that we made wasn't able  
To make it enough for you to be open wide, no_

It had been three weeks since the wedding, and Peyton was beginning to get used to the idea of Lucas being married to someone else. Of course, it helped that she hadn't seen either Lucas or Lindsey since that day, as they had been on their honeymoon. But they were due back in town today and Peyton had no idea how to face them. Naturally, it came unexpectedly as she was browsing through albums at Max's store. She turned around and almost walked right into Lucas.

"Hey, Peyton," he said, sounding rather glad to see her.

"Hey," she said, trying to brush past him.

"You're in a hurry," he observed.

"And you're married to someone else," she spat back at him, putting down the records she had been holding and running out the door.

"What the hell, Peyton!" Lucas shouted as he caught up to her, grabbing her by the wrist and forcing her to slow down. "I'm trying to be friendly here and you've got to go say things like that!"

"What do you want me to say, Lucas?" she asked. "I've got nothing left to say to you that you don't already know."

"What do you mean?" he said.

"I told you I still loved you, and you married her anyways," Peyton said venomously. "So there isn't much else for me to say."

She tore herself out of his grasp and got in her car, leaving him dumbfounded on the pavement. She sped away, wishing she had gotten those albums after all. Some good should have come from that encounter.

_And every time you speak her name  
Does she know how you told me you'd hold me  
Until you died, till you died  
But you're still alive_

When she arrived back at their house, Brooke could tell that Peyton was upset, more so than she had been at any other point in the last three weeks.

"What happened, Peyton?" Brooke asked as her friend opened the fridge angrily and grabbed a beer.

"I ran into Lucas," the blonde answered.

"What did he say?" Brooke asked carefully.

"He said hi," Peyton said.

"And?"

"And I told him I had nothing to say to him because he married her after I told him I still loved him!" Peyton exclaimed. "It's like he expects us to be friends, but I don't know how I can do that. He told me he was going to love me forever, Brooke, and he just gave up on us and gave forever to someone else. How do we stay friends after that?"

"I don't know," Brooke admitted. "But if you want to, I'm sure you could find a way."

"That's just it, Brooke," Peyton said as she finished off her beer. "I don't want to find a way anymore."

_And I'm here to remind you  
Of the mess you left when you went away  
It's not fair to deny me  
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me  
You, you, you oughta know_

They were interrupted by a knock on the door. Brooke went to open it, but closed it again quickly and came back over to Peyton.

"It's Luke," she said. "He wants to talk to you."

"Do I have to?" Peyton groaned.

"You probably should," Brooke advised. "Just get it over with."

Peyton sighed and walked outside to the porch where Lucas was waiting, shutting the door loudly behind her.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Umn, to talk," he said.

"Then talk, I told you I have nothing to say," she said tiredly.

"Peyton, please, can't we just be friends?" he asked.

"No, I really don't think we can. I'm too messed up right now and I'm not going to forgive you that easily. You broke my heart, Lucas, you ripped it out and then stomped it. And that doesn't exactly make you friend material in my eyes."

"Can we try, though?" he said. "It's going to be hard on everyone else if we're not talking, you know."

"You're right," she admitted after a minute of silence. "I don't care about hurting you, but I do have other friends to think about."

"Okay," he said, sounding greatly relieved. "Then will you come to our welcome home party this weekend? We want everyone to be there together."

"Tell you what," Peyton said. "You supply the booze, and I might be able to even smile a bit while I'm there."

"Thanks, Peyton," he said as he stood to leave. "We're going to make this work."

"I'm not doing it for you," she reminded him.

"I know," he said, but she was certain that he didn't quite understand how much she meant it.

_You seem very well, things look peaceful  
I'm not quite as well, I thought you should know  
Did you forget about me, Mr. Duplicity?  
I hate to bug you in the middle of dinner_

Peyton stood with Brooke and Haley, keeping a nervous eye on Lucas and Lindsey as they chatted with Nathan and Skills. She hadn't talked to them much yet this evening and was dreading the inevitable moment when they would approach her. And here they came, she thought.

"Hi, Peyton," Lindsey chirped as Lucas smiled at her.

"Hi," Peyton said. "How was your honeymoon?"

Behind her back, Brooke and Haley smiled approvingly at each other. Peyton really was trying, and they were proud of her for that.

"It was wonderful," Lucas gushed. "Linds and I had such a great time. You have to go to Paris when you get a chance, Peyt."

"That sounds wonderful," Peyton choked out.

"We'll talk to you later, okay?" Lindsey said as they moved over to talk to Brooke. Peyton walked away hurriedly, and Haley followed.

"Peyton, are you okay?" she asked, her maternal instincts showing.

"He called me Peyt," she said softly. "Right after he referred to her as Linds."

"I'm sorry," Haley said as she placed a comforting hand on her friend's back.

"He only ever called me that when we were really happy," Peyton admitted. "I guess he's done the same thing with Lindsey, shortening it to Linds. But how can he say both in one sentence?"

"I don't know," Haley admitted. "But I know I'm proud of you for trying to work things out with both of them."

"I'm not doing it for them, Haley," Peyton said. "It's for you and Nate and Brooke and everyone else who doesn't feel sick to their stomachs every time those two are around. I can't make you pick sides."

"I know," Haley said. "And we love you for that."

_It was a slap in the face how quickly I was replaced  
Are you thinking of me when you f**k her?_

As Peyton and Brooke were preparing to leave, the blonde caught a glimpse of the happy couple kissing passionately in the other room.

"Can we go now," she said, gesturing towards them.

"Yeah, let's," Brooke replied, knowing Peyton wouldn't be able to stand much more of it.

"Wait up a second, Peyton!" Lucas called out as he saw them preparing to leave. Brooke was talking to Lindsey, so they had a few minutes alone.

"Thank you for coming," he said.

"How many times do I have to tell you it's not for you?" she responded.

"It doesn't matter," he insisted. "And by the way, you look great."

"Don't you do that to me again," she said as she pulled away from him. "It isn't for you either. Actually, maybe it is. Maybe it's to remind you of what you're missing out on when you're with her," Peyton said, indicating Lindsey with a jerk of her head. "Sweet dreams, Lucas."

_Cause the joke that you laid on the bed that was me  
And I'm not gonna fade  
As soon as you close your eyes and you know it_

Peyton had successfully avoided Lucas and Lindsey for almost a month now. She was busy with the label and helping Brooke go through the adoption process, so she managed to skip out on a few group gatherings. Lucas called her from time to time but she always ignored his attempts, hoping that he would eventually get the message. She saw Haley, Nathan, and the others on a regular basis, and was kept updated on the "other Scotts" through them.

"So she's mad because he wrote a book about a comet?" Peyton asked incredulously.

"And because you happen to drive a Comet," Nathan replied. "It's ridiculous, I know. He married her, I don't know why she's still so insecure."

"Because if she's right, that makes two books Lucas has written about Peyton and none about her," Haley chimed in.

"Hey, it could be about you," Peyton joked. "Haley's Comet, right?"

"Try telling her that," Nathan grumbled. "She's mad at him and now he's cranky because he's not getting any and he's taking it out on us."

"Sorry guys," Peyton laughed. "I don't even talk to him anymore, I don't know why she's so worried."

"It's because you're you," Nathan replied. "And you're a bit scary, Sawyer."

"Thanks, Nate," she said.

"Well, well, isn't this cosy," a voice drawled from behind them.

"Keller?" Nathan asked as he identified the speaker.

"That's right," Peyton said. "Chris Keller is my latest act. He might be an ass, but we've always known he's talented."

"This is just priceless," Haley muttered. "We're going to get out of here before he drags me on to another tour bus. Have fun, kids," she said as she and Nathan exited the building.

Peyton and Chris had been working for a few hours, and decided it was time for a break. Grabbing a few drinks from the bar, they settled back in Peyton's office.

"So, Goldilocks, you're looking good," Chris said as he watched her put her legs up on her desk, making her skirt ride up slightly.

"Thanks," she said. "You're sounding good."

"Yeah, I've been known to do that," he said casually, surprised to hear her laugh instead of rolling her eyes at him.

"So I'm funny now," he said smilingly.

"Yeah, you kinda are," she replied. "You're a nice change from the broodiness I'm used to around here, Keller."

"I can brood if you want me to," he offered as she stood up and walked over to him.

"No," she said, lowering herself onto his lap. "And you can stop talking now too."

_And every time I scratch my nails down someone else's back  
I hope you feel it...well can you feel it?_

It turned out to be a pretty good deal between them. During the day, they worked on his music. At night, they left business behind and focused on pleasure. Peyton had made it clear from the start that it was only sex, and Chris had been okay with that. They were both getting a bit attached, though neither wanted to admit it, but Peyton wasn't worried about it getting too serious. She still cringed every time she saw Lucas and Lindsey together. But at least she had something to distract her now, and that was all she could really ask for.

_And I'm here to remind you  
Of the mess you left when you went away  
It's not fair to deny me  
Of the cross I bear that you gave to me  
You, you, you oughta know_


End file.
